虎

• Reading: とら
• Romaji: tora
• Kanji breakdown: 虎 (ko/tora) — tiger
• Pronunciation: /to.ɾa/

Meaning

Tiger; a large wild cat native to Asia.

A noun referring to the tiger, an animal deeply embedded in East Asian culture despite not being native to Japan. Common in idioms and proverbs: 虎の巻 (tora no maki, cheat sheet/reference guide), 虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず (nothing ventured, nothing gained). Also one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac (寅年, tora-doshi, Year of the Tiger).

Examples

1. 動物園で初めて虎を見た時は感動した。 I was amazed when I saw a tiger at the zoo for the first time.
2. 虎は絶滅の危機にある動物の一つだ。 The tiger is one of the animals on the brink of extinction.
3. 彼女は虎のように強い意志を持っている。 She has a will as strong as a tiger.

Usage Guide

Context: animals, idioms, zodiac

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 虎 depicts a tiger, with the top part (虍) representing the tiger's striped head. Tigers feature prominently in Japanese art and folklore despite being absent from the Japanese islands.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal